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Family car is chosen

April 5, 2012 by

UPDATE – Argentina make life tricky
I was doing some research at the NY boat show and discovered that Yamaha has a line called “portable” and one called “midsize”. The 20 hp 4 stroke is the largest “portable” and weighs about 120 lbs. The 25 hp model is 170 lbs and is the smallest “midsize”. On physical inspection the 25 is a behemoth. We have switched to the 20hp model, of course.   Other owners have the 25 hp 2 stroke but we are getting the four stroke.   Two stroke is easier to maintain and lighter but the four stroke is the only electric start model they sell in BA.   Also the four stroke is more fuel efficient by a decent margin and I will smile being a bit greener than the two strokers.    Lets hope the cool center console does not get confused or lost when its being imported.   

 

Our Family Car

The dinghy is the cruiser’s car. It is used for milk runs, scuba trips and to take the crew out on the town for dinner. I am not really a car guy, I submit as evidence that my last two cars were Priuses (is that the plural of Prius?) and I think cars should last 20 years. Case closed – not a car guy.

 

But I am a dinghy guy. I love some of the features on the larger dinghy’s such as integrated running lights, NEMA networks, pop-up cleats, teak floors and more. We will not have any of those extravagances but we did spring for a wheel rather than the tiller control. The tiller is usually just a stick attached to the out board. And a seat! Yes most dinghy’s have the crew sit on the tubes on the side which can get a bit wet. Part of me is more eager to be on the dinghy rather than on Two Fish.

 

This less-tricked out dingy would work well. Heck a tiller is not so bad. Another advantage would be it’s less likely to get stolen. Our dingy may require a bunch of chain to make sure the dinghy does not float away when at dubious dinghy docks.

Simpler Dingy

 

 

Some differences between the Dinghy and the Prius:

Snorkeling

Anchored for Snorkeling

Prius Snorkeling

Sunny Days

Sun Roof

No Sun Roof

Soft Sides

Rubber SIdes

Hard SIdes


Bike Transport

Dinghy Bike Transport

Great for Bike Trips


Visit to the Factory

March 10, 2012 by

After a full year of boat discussions, it was about time to visit the factory and meet the people who would be making our boat. I was very excited as I had never been to South America and I could now tie with Jason in the “how many continents have you visited?” race. I was also eager to test out my Spanish after 6 months of Rosetta Stone.

Oficina de Turismo

We landed on a Sunday so had a full day to explore San Isidro, where we were staying. We headed to the oficina de turismo where I proceeded to impress Jason by asking for a map, nodding my head during the torrent of Spanish that flew out of the attendant’s mouth and emerging with map in hand but not knowing a word of what she said.

 

 

The next day it was time for business and we headed to the North Sails sail loft. Amazingly, I was able to direct the taxi driver in the direction of the water and we found it. In the video below, you can see the scale of the loft. The sailmaker was very helpful in advising us on our sail decisions and we left for the 40 degrees North factory, where they will be building our boat. If it is possible, the boats look bigger on land, than they do on water. It is easy to see how they turn out so well, when you observe the meticulousness of all of the workers. Each specialty – fiberglass, wood, etc. – has its own team dedicated to their craft.

After a full day of factory tours and discussions with the guys in charge, we were really impressed with the operation. The fiberglass building holds 3 to 4 boats in various stages of completion. Once the boat is ready, it is taken to the finishing factory for final installations and preparations. I can’t wait to see all of the stages and am already thinking about my next visit.

After another day of work order discussions, I headed to Palermo Soho in Buenos Aires for some solo exploration.

Palermo Graffiti

It is great city for wandering around and window shopping. While most people rave about the quality of the beef, I

Helado Tasting

am not a big meat-eater and my primary goal was to compare helado (ice cream) at some of the recommended shops. For a bit of local flavor, I decided to stick to the dulce de leche flavor. All were excellent.  I liked the Chungo store as a hangout location but preferred the creaminess of the Jauja flavor.

Enough eating, it was time to burn off some calories. I joined a Bicicleta Naranja tour and our excellent guide took us through the neighborhoods of Palermo and Recoleta. We learned about the history and of course, about Evita. The next day, I returned to the Museo Evita and the Malba, both are recommended. After a great visit, I was eager to continue to continue my musings so I read two excellent books: The Tango Singer and Santa Evita (this one is a bit bizzare). I also downloaded the The Aleph (Jorge Luis Borges).

Hasta la proxima.


Two Fish at the 2012 Miami Boat Show

February 20, 2012 by

The crew of Two Fish headed to Miami in mid-February for the Strictly Sail Miami boat show.  At the last show I only bought a toy anchor, oh and a 44 foot boat.  I am happy to have that agonizing decision behind me.   At least it took less time to decide on the boat than it took to decided to get married.  Let’s pass on that topic before I get into trouble.

What will I buy this year? This boat show’s agenda is a bit of formal education in the classroom and some ad hoc eduction visiting manufacturers of the sub systems and socializing with the other owners.   Anatares has some of the nicest owners on the planet.   Real perk to the boat.

The boat may be decided but that is only the tip of the iceberg.   A boat, like a house, has many subsystems.   We wanted to visit the manufacturer of every installed technology and see if we had the right model.

We both signed up for an all day weather class and a 3 hour radar class.   While, I was really looking forward to the radar class, work got in the way, so Gail was our stand-in. Accompanied by the crew of Alberta Crewed, they learned the fundamentals, and like everything else, learned that they still had some education ahead of them.

Vendor List

Next on the list were the two big topics of propellors and electronics.

Convention Center map

Gail meant business as she planned our visit, preparing a list of critical vendors and even prescribed the most efficient path through the aisles. I, of course, forced diversions from the path, much to her chagrine.

 

 

First stop: Volvo. We caught up with the rep re their folding propellor. For a 44 foot cat, concerned about reverse while docking, they recommended Max Prop. We had done some research on Max Prop already and it was one of our top choices so we didn’t need to be sold on it much more. Next big stop was the electronics corner. The Simrad rep was very helpful and spent much time with us on both the Simrad and B&G electronics. I am already familiar with B&G from watching the Volvo Ocean Race boats and started leaning in that direction. One of the neat features is the ability at the helm to view historical graphs of boat speed, wind speed and wind direction, a great help when starting a watch. Close by, the Furuno reps were showing off their new TZ Touch 14 inch chart plotter display. We also learned a bit more about their RD-33 display and found out it could also show historical graphs.

Eager to discuss all that we had seen with other boat owners, we headed to the Antares boat at the docks. We managed to come to an agreement with a few of the other owners on the electronics – Furuno – and the new prop – Max Prop. The Furuno choice was driven not only by the sleek screens but also a bit by the experiences of current owners – it works, they like it, so why change? As always, the accomodating Antares team went off to discuss logistics with the suppliers. We also got some great news from Jeff – our current Apex dinghy could be supplied in Argentina with a center console! I can’t wait to circle Manhattan Island on the dinghy.

Last stop was a weather class. Going into it, I thought that a course  on weather might be a bit like a class on picking stocks.   The only guy to make money in those classes is the guy teaching the class.  But if you take a second class from him he will make more.   I should not be so negative as I find financial education an important field. Actually, knowing a bit about weather can make a huge difference in comfort and safety when navigating offshore. Most people will combine some knowledge with the talents of an onshore weather router and we plan to do the same.

Some things remained undone but it was a pretty succesful show. We even chose our Sunbrella and settee colors.

Color Swatches

I really would like to decide on our life raft.  All other things electronic, such as handheld GPSs and VHFs are fun to ogle at but will improve in the next year. Plus it means hours more surfing on the couch and debating the options.

 

Coastal Navigation Class

February 5, 2012 by

Stuffed Penguin

 

We started studying costal navigation via the ASA study by mail program.  The material was comprehensive but it was a bit difficult to find a proctor to supervise the test.   So we enrolled in a class via New York Sailing Center.  Steve Card was a great teacher.   The classroom was an apartment on the Upper West Side.   Notable items were 250 playbills and a stuffed penguin that seemed to come alive as the breeze tickled the feathers.   All joking aside, it was a great class. Now we need to study for the exam.

UPDATE: We Passed! 

 

A Don’t Quit Your Day Job Production

January 8, 2012 by

In 2001 I, Jason, created our first vaction video.   The video was of our Swedish vacation and consisted of a slide show with some bad music and even worse narration. I used Microsoft’s PictureIt! application. A decade later and I am producing videos with much better tools, such as iMovie, but my narration hasn’t progressed much. The name of my movie company is “A Don’t Quit Your Day Job Production.” It has produced such famous hits as “Budapest to Krakow” and  “A Turkish Vacation”.   No current award nominations are pending but we are holding out hope.

Taking Photos in Scotland

I am trying to make movies that tell a story, and have strong editing and stunning video.   I am far from that target but the film crew of “A Don’t Quit Your Day Job Production” is striving to improve the quality for the blog.   Please offer up reviews via comments or e-mail.   Bad reviews are enjoyed just as much as good reviews.  The website content will vary from photos to videos to audio files.

Where did the “Don’t Quit” your name come from?   Banking is a stressful job even though the actual activity is not as important as a fireman or a nurse.  Reminding myself that there are alternatives to life on the trading floor created a sense of perspective and calm within the storm.   So I think subconsciously the title was saying, I can quit this job.   Well, if all goes as planned I will have done just that.   Even though the idea had been there for a while its still surprises my that I am finally quitting my day job.

Education

If I had all the time in the world I would like to take several photography classes, a videography class and a film editing class.   The first priority is photography since I am a chronic point and shooter.   No clue on composition or image control.     Many years ago I looked at taking a class by mail but that fell apart just like my resolution to do 100 push ups every morning.   After I take the class we can see if I was just born with a tin eye.

Software

2007 Christmas card

For photos we store our collection in iPhoto because it has an attractive and easy to use interface.  Photoshop is used for the more complex efforts such as this homemade collage Christmas card from years ago.   We have always struggled with Photoshop Elements because we do not use it enough and have never opened the manual (is that important?).   More time with the software and the newest version will assuage our Photoshop fears.

Hardware

How many cameras do you need is really not the right question?  [This the old cat and mouse game where Jason tries to convince Gail that we need more videographic stuff.]    The question should be how can we survive with only a proper DSLR, a water proof point and shoot, a few GoPro HD cameras, and some camera/video camera that works while diving.    I am not even including a full size video camera!

 

Nikon d800

DSLR:   Dream choice is the d800.    I like this camera because I want to make 4 foot photos of that memorable anchorages and 36 megapixels should ensure quality enlargements.   I had entertained  a medium format camera but they cost 30,000 bucks.  Yup that is the right number of zeros.   I gave up on medium format after seeing the price.    The Nikon d800 has a FX sensor which is a complex way of saying it can take in more data that leads to better photos.  Lenses are key as well.   I am considering a portrait, a zoom, a wide angle and maybe a cheapo fish eye lense.  They say the photographer makes the photo not the camera and they also say  people kill people not guns.   But I say if I want to shoot something I either want a big gun or a good camera.  The Nikon D800 is not a great at killing people but is a strong shooter for an aspiring paparazzi.

 

Panasonic DMC-TS4

 

POINT and SHOOT:   The leading choice is a Lumix which is waterproof.  We have an older, on its last legs Lumix from previous generation that we have enjoyed.   The reasons this camera is good for us is the video is very sharp (new model even better), the photos are geo tagged, the camera is idiot proof and simple menus.   There a many new modes that will likely go unused besides the minature effect.   I wont say more as you will see it on the blog.

 

 

Go Pro

 

GO PRO VIDEO:  This product is changing quickly and is key for creating action videos.  In the past I have been biking down hills while hold a point and shoot camera taking video.   Too risky long run.   Now the Go Pro will record   Dolphins doing a swim by, crazy market in a new country, or sneaked video of a local coming out to visit Two Fish.  Go Pro is adding iPhone integration so from the helm you could remote engage record on a pre-placed camera.  I wont stop making bike movies, just try to make better bike movies with helmet cam.

 

 

Sealife Underwater Camera

 

SCUBA CAMERA:  I have not researched this space too much but here is what I know so far.   A waterproof case for the Nikon or a video camera is very expensive (there is a comma in the price).   Sealife offers something that looks good for a starting point as it has lights for both photos and video.   The case looks easy to use and keeps the DSLR safe on board the boat.   There is a PADI class on underwater photography and with infinite time on my hands I would have enrolled.

 

I am very focused on quality blog postings while I am stuck in an apartment in NYC waiting for the big day when the boat splashes.  When time passes and I am aboard will I be to busy to take that perfect photo or too relaxed to get the energy to write that humorous blog posting?   I will need the office bound worker who is sneaking a peek at the blog during a too brief lunch hour to encourage me to keep posting.   That is what the comment fields are for.

Life style choice – Current vs Future

January 8, 2012 by

This post is a juxtaposition of our present NY banker lifestyle and our future cruising catamaran lifestyle.

Workplace-Trading Room

Helm

Living/Dining Room

Salon on Antares 4432



Master Bath

Master Head



Home Office

Navigation Station



Kitchen

Galley



Sky Lounge

Cockpit



Master Bedroom

Master Cabin



I left out the guest bedroom/ guest cabin as we want you to come visit.

Working out on the Boat

January 8, 2012 by

Remember the term freshman 15?   It was caused by too much beer or frozen yogurt?  Is there a term for the mid-40s weight gain?  My high tech scale not only weighs me but displays body fat and other metrics that when computed are screaming at me to live a healthier life.  Business dinners, early wake ups, long haul flights and tempting unhealthy snacks on the trading floor all conspire against me.   Plenty of folks have more discipline and can manage the balance of the two demands.    I need to give up the work and embrace working out.  Its a simple financial equation,  the additional money of working is worth less to me than the additional health benefits of an active lifestyle.

Once aboard, working out needs to be center to how we live our lives.  But how do you work out in a 44 foot space?   You get off the boat for a run, swim or bike ride. But on a long passage, getting off the boat is not practical. Fortunately, there are some on-board solutions as well.   Here are a few that will be in the lockers to trim off those pounds acquired during 25 years of desk work.

Exercise Bands

Nordic Trac Stepper

The first option is the boat itself. Try raising the main without the power winch. Throw in a few tacks. Maybe string a bucket with some tools in it to an extra halyard. No need to pack any weights, we are loading enough items on the boat to serve as good substitutes. But how about some variety?

One option is to get a series of bands (TRX) that you can use to work out.   Just attach it to the mast and off you go.   A lightweight addition is a mini stepper by Nordic Trac.    I am in shape already after writing about it.

Garmin GPS Bike Computer

Garmin Running Watch

Yoga sessions will be held on a regular basis so if you are going to visit, get ready to breathe. Once anchored, the dual stern steps will offer some additional aerobic training and a bit of competition.

For the running, swimming and biking we will use our Garmin products to track the efforts and we will post our tracks. Get ready to see Jason with his watch in a swim cap recording his epic swims. We have also read about Hashes held on the Islands. These are group runs up a mountain, seemingly accompanied by post-run drinking.

Being desk bound now, with all of my recently acquired creaks, this seems like a great opportunity to get in shape. I can’t wait!

Vehicles on board the boat

January 7, 2012 by

How many forms of transport will we need in our new house?   You would think that the boat itself would be enough?

Actually, a boat this size needs a dinghy.   Two Fish is the house and the dinghy is kind of the car.  I am not into fancy cars onshore but my dinghy choice has consumed hours of my time.  The Argentines have made the process easier because they limit imports into the country.   So we think we will get spam, spam or spam as our dinghy.   We are limited to about 11 feet, otherwise the dinghy won’t stow properly on the stern.  (Kind of like a house with a small garage that won’t fit an Escalade.)   The simple choice is a dinghy with bench seats and a 25hp Yamaha engine to push it.     If you want to spend some more money, comfort can be your reward.   Electric start, steering wheel, built in running lights and a higher chance of having your dinghy walk off without your approval.   Also you might look like the guy in an Armani suit during a Grateful Dead concert.   No one will be offended, but there may be a few snickering comments when you are out of earshot.  The Argentine customs authorities will most likely make the final call.

 

Our second vehicles will be folding bikes.   We have been all over the world on cycling vacations and wish to continue this in the future.  We have chosen Brompton bikes because they fold into a small space for stowing on-board and fit in the dingy for trips to shore.  LAST MINUTE EDIT!  Before posting this we discovered Bike Friday.   We have heard rave reviews their bikes.   So we have decided its Brompton or Bike Friday.  Stay tuned for a post in the future.

 

 

 

We don’t have full agreement on the next vessels yet.

 

I enjoy going on long swims in lagoons and other bodies of water.  Often Gail kindly provides a life guard function by paddling near by.   This is more to protect me from speed boats than drowning and is a nice way for her to get on the water.    Historically, she has done this in a sea kayak.   But a kayak would need to be stored on deck which is a bit “hobo”  and not very seamanship like.   An alternative would be a inflatable model that is both kayak / stand  up paddle surf board.   Inflation would be easy since the compressor for the dive tanks should be able to do the work.   When going off to sea – deflate and stow in one of the forward lockers.

 

I have found a company that makes cool stand up paddle boards, ULI is their name.  Need to do more research but have a email chain on which model was best suited for our needs.

A kite surfer looks like a blast.   Never tried it so the plan is to take a few lessons before I buy one.    Advantage is easy stowage.   This way I don’t have to buy a surf board or a wind surfer.   Both are no fun to try to store.    Another idea left on the cutting room floor – a foldable

Foldable Tri

trimaran.   Maybe next time when I buy that 80 foot catamaran.

Movie Night – Tell us those must see movies and TV shows

January 7, 2012 by

Now that the wine debate is settled, it is time to think about entertainment. Most folks dream of sailing off over the horizon and reading all the great novels of the last 3 centuries.  I am honest with myself – that will not happen.   I watch way too much TV while being a landlubber and can not go cold turkey.   To my credit, I did not buy the optional satellite TV that the boat builder offers.    Instead I am creating a large movie and TV library.   What are your desert island movies?   Please tell me so I can add them to the list.  Again space and weight are a concern but technology has come to the rescue.   No need to pack my Star Wars collection. Instead, I just use a program called Handbrake that converts my legal DVD into a file on my computer.   CODEC (type of video files) are a complete confusion but after a bit of tinkering you can have all your movies in a small space and leave the disks behind.

So how did we build our list?   Not very scientific but found a NY Times list of 1,000 movies and crossed off the ones we have seen too many times already and skipped the ones that we missed in the theatre on purpose.   The process for TV shows is similar but I left less of the editorial call with the web and selected stuff we like that we have not watched.   An exception was made for Law and Order.   We have seen it but a second dose will be great on rainy days.   Did you know there are 20 seasons, not including the 3 spin offs?

Finally, documentaries are going to be great prep for visiting new lands.   Brazilian and Argentinian videos are my first focus but the field is wide open! Globe Trekker shows are a personal favorite.   The boat probably will not make it to land locked or polar region countries so Frozen Planet and Mongolia are off the list.

So where do we watch these videos?   We have a salon TV but for nice nights out at anchorage we are going to use a projector and a large screen hung by the bow.   The screen will be hung on the front of the boat and we can relax on the trampoline watching that night’s movie.  The Furuno TZ touch screens can play video from the Fusion 700 stereo from an installed iPod.  Oh, did I mention the TV in the master bedroom?
A proper sized collection of videos for a multi year trip will take up over 5 terabytes of space.   We will also have tons of our own photos and videos.   So how do we store all of this in the marine environment?   This box to the right has plenty of disk space and will work fast with the onboard laptops.   But more on the computer set up for Two Fish in the technology section.

Wine on board Two Fish

January 7, 2012 by

Having expended a lot of energy on boat system discussions, we briefly changed tack to think about refreshments. We are not oenophiles but do like a glass with dinner a few nights a week.   Our current strategy is we buy the half bottles.  I will hold off on referring to them by the French name of demi-bouteille in fear of revealing my natural snooty nature since we already drink too little for the cruising lifestyle.

So what shall we drink on board Two Fish?   50 half bottles of wine sounds like a lot of space, breakable glass and weight.   Technology to the rescue.   In 1975 an Australian created the first boxed wine, he died in 2010 at the wine preserved age of 95.   Boxed wine had a humble start – the drinker used scissors to cut a plastic bag enclosed in a box.

Now the Swedes, French and Ausies have improved the technology to where an opened box wine will last longer than an opened bottle of wine.   Boxed wine is lighter and easier to pack.   A warning for wine collectors – box wine will not cellar well versus the traditional bottle.  I am pretty sure no one was thinking of keeping a box of wine for 2o years.

A quick search on the web will reveal that boxed wine is coming of age.  Epicurious, Esquire and others are writing reviews of these wines.  Here are a few of the better reviewed wines.  I think we can also pick up some Yellow and Blue in Buenos Aires.  We will try a few and report back.  Do you have a favorite? If you don’t want to confess to drinking box wine on the blog just drop me an email.   But there is no shame in boxed wine.  Just a shame not to have wine.